NHRC notice to Defence Ministry, Assam Police on rape of three

The National Human Rights Commission said on Friday it has issued notices to Defence Ministry and Assam Police over alleged sexual assault on three women, including a teenager, by Army personnel in the state.

Guwahati: The National Human Rights Commission said on Friday it has issued notices to Defence Ministry and Assam Police over alleged sexual assault on three women, including a teenager, by Army personnel in the state.

"The National Human Rights Commission has issued notices to the Secretary, Ministry of Defence and the Director General of Police, Government of Assam, after taking suo motu cognisance of media reports that three women, were allegedly raped by Army soldiers in Dokmoka on April 6, 2015," an NHRC release said.

The Commission said it has observed that the contents of the media report, if true, raised a serious issue of human rights violations.

Two weeks time has been given to the two authorities to respond to the notice," the statement said.

According to media reports, NHRC said, the jawans were patrolling Khorsim Athor village and took a 13-year-old girl to the neighbouring jungle in Dokmoka. The girl's mother and a relative went after them to rescue her but they were also sexually assaulted.

A police team had been formed to conduct an enquiry. The medical examination of the victims had been conducted, it said.

Eleven people, including nine security personnel, were injured later in stone pelting and subsequent police firing on a mob protesting against the alleged rape of the three women.

On April 13, the prime accused in the incident, Satyabir Dara of 8 Jat Regiment, allegedly committed suicide by shooting himself with his rifle.